This relates generally to imaging devices, and more particularly, to high dynamic range imaging with multi-storage pixels.
Image sensors are commonly used in electronic devices such as cellular telephones, cameras, and computers to capture images. An image sensor has an associated dynamic range, which is expressed as a ratio of the largest and smallest possible luminance values for an image sensor. A conventional image sensor might have a dynamic range of about 60-70 dB. Some applications, such as automobile and surveillance applications, might require a dynamic range of over 100 dB. High dynamic range (HDR) imaging often refers to techniques for capturing images at dynamic ranges greater than that of the associated image sensor. Techniques such as nonlinear response, multiple exposure, and saturation detection have been proposed for high dynamic range imaging. Each technique has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the most common HDR techniques is multi-exposure imaging.
In multi-exposure HDR imaging, multiple images are captured with an image sensor at different exposure times. The images are later combined into a high dynamic range image. However, as the multiple exposures are captured at different times, it may be difficult to correctly capture images of moving objects.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved techniques for high dynamic range imaging.